


Love Bug

by BarPurple



Series: Metal Fish [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 2018, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Rumbelle Showdown, Third Round
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-05-08 14:55:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14696502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: Chaperoning his son's school trip to the zoo should not have been this difficult.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Third Round Entry for Rumbelle Prompt Showdown 2018 under the pen name Metal Fish for the Prompts: zoo, flu, blue; a compliment; why not?

“Pops we need to talk about the zoo trip.”

Gold swallowed his mouthful of tea and looked at his son, who was wearing a very serious expression.

“Neal, your Uncle Jeff has already given me a list of rules.”

It had been a difficult phone conversation since Jeff had to pause every few moments to cough or blow his nose. The current bug doing the rounds was a nasty one, and Gold was glad that him and Neal had managed to avoid it so far.

“What did he say?”

Gold counted each instruction off on his fingers; “No jokes, no cramping your style when you are with Emma, and no juggling chinchillas, but I think that was the cold meds talking.”

Normally the mention of Emma Nolan would turn Neal’s ears pink and make him hurry away. Not this time. Instead his son gave a world-weary sigh.

“Emma’s Mum has got the Flu as well, so Miss French is coming as chaperon.”

Now Gold was sure his own ears were turning pink, they always did when someone mentioned the lovely librarian’s name, somethings were a family trait. Neal rolled his eyes; “Look you always act goofy around Miss French, so why not ask her out tomorrow?”

Tea slopped out of Gold’s cup as he squawked; “What?”

“Everyone on the planet knows that you like her, so ask her out already!”

He couldn’t even muster up the words to dispute Neal’s hyperbole. Neal stood up and patted him on the shoulder; “Just talk to her, hey? You’re going to have to, you’re the only two adults on the trip.”

He nodded dumbly at his son, who squeezed his shoulder before heading up to his room. Gold stared the puddle of spilt tea and wondered if he could contract the Flu before tomorrow morning.

It had taken a strong cup of coffee to wake him up in the morning, since his unconscious mind had decided to torture him with images of Miss French turning into a lion and mauling him as he asked her to dinner. He decided if he could get through today with out that happening then he was on to a winner. Since he wasn’t going to ask Belle out, and she wasn’t, to his knowledge, a werelion, his day was on track to be a success.

Neal kept trying to give him a pep talk on the drive to school, but Gold was an expert deflector, and after the third time of being asked if he had his lunch money Neal gave up with a huff. He didn’t even need to worry about speaking to Belle beyond a simple ‘good morning’, as she was busy checking students off a list and on to the bus. Neal had told him the teachers and parents sat up front, so he took the empty seat behind the driver, and made himself keep his eyes forward rather than checking to see who Neal had chosen to sit with. He would not be an embarrassing parent on this outing. He did allow himself a small smile when he heard Emma Nolan shout; “Saved you a seat Cassidy!”

The smile slid from his face as Belle climbed onto the bus and put her bag in the seat next to him.

“Right! Listen up! Has everyone got everything they need for today?”

There was a pause filled with the rustle of a dozen bags being checked before the chorus of ‘Yes, Miss French’ began.

“Okay, then let’s go.”

She picked her bag up and sat down with it on her lap. Gold had always wondered what she could be carrying that required such a large bag. The brief glance he got as she opened it revealed several books. He quickly averted his eyes in case she thought he was being nosy.

“Did Jefferson explain the itinerary for today, Mr Gold?”

“Erm, no, not fully, no.”

All he had to do for the bus ride to the zoo was listen and ask a few pertinent questions. Unfortunately, it was a simple enough task that his mind was hyperaware of Belle’s proximity and the heady smell of her perfume. By the time they arrived he felt like he could use a cold shower, but he’d not made a fool of himself by stuttering or professing his love.

Herding a dozen teenagers around the zoo was challenge enough to keep his mind off Belle for most of the day. There was a moment of panic when one of Neal’s classmates decided to hop up on the wall around the meerkat enclosure, but Gold was quick to grab his backpack and draw his attention to the large sign he’d just climbed over. The lad hurried away after muttering something about only wanting a good picture.

“I sometimes wonder if they have any common sense at all.”

Gold smiled at Belle who’d appeared at his elbow; “Oh they do, but at this age it’s overcome by the certain knowledge that they are invincible.”

She chuckled; “It’s hard to remember ever being like that.”

He didn’t believe that the follies of youth were all that far behind her, but one didn’t comment on a lady’s age.

“If they’re lucky they won’t end up with a permanent reminder.”

She tilted her head with a sound of enquiry. Gold tapped his bum leg with his cane; “I had an adventurous misspent youth.”

For a brief moment, it looked as if she was about to ask him for the story of his injury, but movement behind her caught his eye and they were back to herding cats.

Either lunch had settled the kids down, or the low lighting in the bug house was making them sleepy. Gold actually had a chance to look at some of the creatures, and at some point, Belle had joined him. They stopped in front of a display case of iridescent beetles.

“They are so blue.”

“Just like your eyes.”

Said eyes blinked slowly and she turned her head towards him. Gold froze.

“Miss French! Lily is freaking out by the spiders.”

Excellent teacher that she was she hurried away. Gold slumped against the display case and was suddenly thumped on the arm.

“Pops! Did you seriously just compare her eyes to a dung beetle?”

Gold groaned and hung his head; the most embarrassing moment of his life and it had been witnessed by his son.

“Uncle Jeff is right, you’re awful at this. We’ve literally just been in a room full of butterflies, you couldn’t use one of those for a romantic comparison?”

“Just go and let your old man have his cringe worthy breakdown in peace, please?”

Neal ambled off with a sigh. Gold took a moment to mentally berate himself, before he pulled himself together and went to keep an eye on the kids, which is the only thing he was supposed to be doing today, attempting to flirt with pretty librarians was not on the itinerary. He managed to avoid being alone with Belle until they were counting the kids back on to the bus. She caught his arm before he could climb the steps and tugged him gently to one side.

“I took it as a compliment,” -she shrugged at his bewildered look, - “Why not? That’s how it was intended, right?”

“Yes, yes it was, I’m just rubbish at this.”

She glanced at the bus and smiled; “A little bird told me that I act goofy around you and I should just ask you out,” - She took a breath and bit her lip, - “Okay, so dinner tonight?”

“Like a date?”

“Yeah. A Date. See, I’m not very good at this either, so I figure the direct approach is going to be our best option.”

“Yes, yes I’d love to go on a date with you.”

A sudden riot of noise erupted from the bus. The kids were stomping and wolf whistling. Neal was there giving him a huge grin and a double thumbs-up. A shook of blonde hair obscured his view of his son as Emma tackled him for a victory hug. Some speedy wag slapped a hastily drawn picture of stick figures kissing surrounded by love hearts against the window.

Belle groaned; “Ah, well, you didn’t want to keep this a secret, did you?”

Gold could only laugh and take her hand to lead her on to the bus.


	2. Chapter 2

Dinner with Belle had been wonderful. Had Neal been present he no doubt would have been rolling his eyes and groaning at their ‘dorky’ conversation. Thankfully Neal was at home, so he’d not witnessed his old man describing condiments as the best magic in this world. It couldn’t have been that dorky, because Belle had giggled, and they had spent ten minutes deciding if mayonnaise was a blessing or a curse, and if it deserved a place on the perfect burger.

As well as their date had gone Gold was glad when it came to an end. He put his burgeoning headache down to the rowdy behaviour of the other diner patrons. The brothers Pitman were celebrating something, and it involved a lot of cheering and singing. He walked Belle home wondering why it had suddenly become so warm, must just be because Belle had hooked her arm through his and was pressed against his side. Odd, he would have thought her closeness would have felt more comfortable than this. 

When they got to Belle’s door his head was pounding and he was having trouble hearing what she was saying. She sounded like she was talking through cotton wool, which was a disgusting idea. Suddenly she was blurring and floating away from him. He felt the impact as he hit the floor, and everything went black.

 

Coughing himself awake was not a fun experience, but at least it distracted him slightly from the feeling that he’d been hit by a lorry. The soothing voice and gentle hand brushing his sweaty hair from his face was a surprise.

“Belle?”

He sounded like a frog, a frog with a frog in it’s throat in fact. Belle smiled at him and helped him sit up against the pillows. He was in his own bed which was good, but he had no recollection of getting here. Belle was also here in his bedroom, a very good thing, but when he’d imagined this moment it had involved less coughing and more kissing.

“That’s sweet. We can do the kissing once you are better.”

Gold cringed and started coughing again. Once he could breathe again he looked at her; “Sorry. Didn’t think I’d said that out loud.”

“It’s alright. You’re ill. I’m going to go and make you some tea, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Some dim part of his mind pointed out that she was a guest and he should be making tea for her, but another bout of coughing made his head spin and put his ideas of being a good host on hold.

The bedroom door creaked open and Neal stuck his head round.

“Hey Pops, how you feeling?”

“Vile. You okay son?”

“Yeah.”

Neal chucked a box of tissues at him as he started sneezing. As usual Gold couldn’t get just one tissue out of the box, but the handful was needed for the amount of gunk his sinuses had produced. Neal held the wastepaper basket for him and wrinkled his nose as the wadded mass hit the bottom.

“What time is it son?”

“Half eleven.”

“Why aren’t you in bed?”

Neal rolled his eyes and pulled the curtains open; “Because its am not pm. And before you ask, school was cancelled because so many people are ill.”

As Gold processed that Belle must have stayed the night Neal sat on the end of his bed and grinned at him. Gold didn’t like the look of that grin. He couldn’t remember anything since walking Belle to her door last night, if Neal had taken advantage of his weakened state to get him to finally agree to a puppy he was going to get a lesson in the term compos mentis.

“I know you like to give me good examples to follow Pops, but am I right in thinking that arriving home after a date, passed out in the back of a police car is one of those times I shouldn’t imitate you?”

The sound Gold made wasn’t recognizable as human language, but Neal’s grin got wider and he nodded; “Oh yes it happened. I could call Emma’s dad if you like and he can confirm it, or Doctor Whale because he came out to give you a check-up, or even better, just ask Belle, it was her shoulder you were drooling on.”

Gold threw the tissue box at Neal. It was a weak throw and barely reached Neal’s knee which just made his evil son cackle. 

Belle came in carrying a tray and Gold was proud to see that Neal jumped up to help her with it. 

“Tell him about his ride home he doesn’t believe me.”

Belle huffed fondly; “Neal you weren’t going to tease him about that until he’s better.”

“He is better, well he’s awake.”

One look at Belle’s face told him that Neal’s outlandish sounding tale was true. She’d never want to go on another date with him ever again, but she had stayed with him while he was ill, looking after not only him, but Neal as well. She perched on the corner of his bed and held out a steaming cup of tea to him. The look of tender care on her face made his heart swell. 

The doorbell ringing surprised him out of the moment. Neal waved a hand; “That’ll be Emma, we’ve got some homework to do.” 

He got to the door and shot his Pops that evil grin again; “So since you two have already got the in sickness and in health part ticked off I guess we can start planning the wedding, yeah?”

Gold croaked at him as he disappeared downstairs laughing like a supervillain. Belle bit her lip, maybe now wasn’t the best time to remind Gold that he had proposed last night.


End file.
